Apparatus for producing fluted columns of sheet metal



v W.v ANDREW. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FLUTED COLUMNS 0F SHEET METAL. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1 6, 1920.

1,420,608. Patehted June 20,1922.

To all whom it mayconcern:

'provements in Apparatus for Producing WI LIA ANDREWQOF cincrnnArr, OHIO. i e.

- Be it known that I, WILLIAM ANDREW, a

citizenof the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Im- 7 piece.

To this end the invention consists in the method of and apparatus for forming a fluted, slightly tapering, column from a sheet metal blank of conical form. The blank is formed as a tubeby being bent over a suitable former and is of sufliciently enlarged diameter to allow for the reduction effected by the take up of the fluting process, and "is preferably united by electric welding or otherwise at the meeting edges tion, in whichof the blank when bent to initial form. The flutes or corrugations provided as herein set forth are relatively shallow.

The column thus formed is fitted to enter and engage a permanent base, and likewise to a head piece usually of ornamental form, and these may be securely held to the column by tie-rods bolted to the head and, base through the central aperture of the column; but, as these form no part of my invention, they are not shown herein. It will of course be understood that the corrugations act as stifieners to the column, and thus a practical lamp-post is formed at a considerable reduction of expense both for material and labor, and in certain features of apparatus adapted to act upon the blank and produce the fluted effect.

Drawings illustrating the invention are appended hereto as part of this specifica- Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the general apparatus showing the casing in full, and the compression-ring diametrically sectioned;

" Arrnmrus ron rnonuorne' rntrrnn conumivs or snnn'r mnran.

"Application filed December 16, 1920."" Seria1No. 431,196. 5

Specification of Letters Patent, 7 Patented 2Q, 1922. i

l FigQ2-is an a'xial cross section of the casit ing on the line 2-2 of Fig.fll,-showing the bars of the casing andthecompression-slides 1 i operating radially betweensaid bars;

- Fig. 3 is a horizontal mid-section through the casing and its parts on-the line 3"3- of Fig. "1, .showing the position and relation of the compression-slidesito the work; and

Fig. 4 is i a perspective end-view compression-r ng detached;

Referring now to the drawings; A designates a cylindrical casing having equidistant radial openings'extending nearly the I entire length as parallel slots to a'dinitthe compressing slides Bfseverally therein, with I radialmovement. The casing is" preferably made up oflfiat rings C 6 constituting the ends orfheads of the. casing, with a series of, parallel braces D fixedly secured by screws a; at their opposite ends to and bei tween the casing heads C 0 leaving .con-' tinuous parallelslots' from end to end terminated by the heads 0 C and admit the compression slides B to a close sliding fit sidewise in a radial centripetal movement.

At their innersides, the compression slides are curved or beveled to an approximate V-shape, intended, by centripetal pressure of v '85 the slides exerted SlIIlllllJtLIlGOllSlY'llPOIl the blank by the converging radius contacts of the inner edges of the adjacent slides upon the blank, causes the-material of the blank to buckle outwardsinto thespace between v. g

the slides, each forming a continuous longitudinal arch constituting the rib of the corrugation. I

The heads C are provided with short radial equidistant slots s (Fig. 2) interven- I ing between the braces D inwhich enter shorttongues t projecting at each end of the compression slides as guide and retaining v members, and allow sufiicient movement for p the compressing action.

The compression ring F is an externally cylindrical ring, internally cylindricalfor; part of its length, to fit and move-axially upon the external surface of the casing and the outer surface of the slides; and is thence expanded slightlyoutward to ease the slidlng engagement of the ring upon'the slides in centripetal compression as it forces them graduallyinward flush with the exterior of the casing. 7

Suitable means exist, (as in apparatus for applying hydraulic pressure) tovmove the compression ring F downward upon the easing thereby forcing the inner edges of the compression slides B against the blank E centripetally to produce the corrugated effeet as in Fig. 3. In addition to the blank E a suitable former having an externally fluted surface may be employed, in which the V-shaped edge of the compression slides may move into the depressions of the former; but such former is not regarded as a necessity'. It will be noted that by this process the metal is forced to occupy less circumferential space and is thus condensed and consequenti'y rendered stronger to resist strains.

The term fluted, as used herein. includes a column whose cross section may be a. pentagon in which the outer angles constitute a fluting efiect in the nature of corrugations.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In an apparatus for fiuting sheet metal for street lamp supports and other uses, the

combination of a hollow cylindrical casing adapted to receive a sheetmetal blank bent .equi-distant slots through said casing para-llel to its axis; a corresponding series of slides adapted to be moved radially in said slots as guides and impinge upon said blank; and means for applying external pressure centripetally to theslides simultaneously.

2. A mechanism for fiuting or corrugating" sheet metal columns comprising a hollow cylindrical. casing having closely associated equi-distant slots parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing; .a corresponding 'seriesof slides having beveled or curved inner edges and radially movable in said slots; and a circumferential compression ring having a slidingfit exteriorly upon the nesses.

WILLIAM ANDREW. lVitnesses: I

NORMA D. BERGER,

CARL PIIARES. 

